Sports
Hockey

B-Sens get three bodies back

Two days after an exciting 5-4 overtime victory against the North Division rival Rochester Americans Saturday night at Yardmen Arena, the Belleville Senators are adding players to their lineup rather than deleting them.

On Monday, the No. 1 farm club of the Ottawa Senators announced that three players were being reassigned to the B-Sens roster in time for a Wednesday-night home game against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Ottawa has reassigned forwards Nick Paul and Jack Rodewald, along with defenceman Ben Harpur. As well, from the B-Sens' ECHL affiliate in Brampton, the Beast are sending goaltender Marcus Hogberg and defenceman Cody Donaghey to Belleville.

Just one week ago, B-Sens head coach Kurt Kleinendorst juggled a lineup that was missing 10 regulars due to call-ups and injuries.

Meanwhile, B-Sens are coming off a thrilling O.T. victory against Rochester that featured a franchise-first hat trick by rookie pro defenceman Jordan Murray — including the O.T. game-winner.

Hailing from Riverview, NB, the 24-year-old Murray was a USports All-Canadian selection for the University of New Brunswick where last season he scored 14 goals and totalled 40 points for the Varsity Reds in 30 Atlantic Conference games. A former Quebec Leaguer with Acadie-Bathurst and Drummondville, the six-foot-one rearguard helped UNB win the last two University Cup titles and won consecutive Defenceman of the Year accolades.

Murray signed a two-year AHL contract with the B-Sens in April.

B-Sens welcome the Phantoms — the top affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers — on Wednesday at Yardmen Arena, then hit the road for five games. The locals return to Belleville Wednesday, Nov. 29 to host the Laval Rocket, top farm club of the Montreal Canadiens.

B-Sens are back to .500 in the North Division at 7-7-1 for 15 points; Phantoms, playing out of the Atlantic Division, are 9-4-2 for 20 points. With 53 goals, Lehigh Valley (Allentown, PA) was tied for second in the AHL.

• Around the 'A'

... The TORONTO MARLIES opened the week atop the North Division standings at 11-4-0 for 22 points ... CHRIS BOURQUE of the Hershey Bears was leading the league in scoring with 21 points in 15 games (five goals, 16 assists) ... Toronto's GARRET SPARKS boasted the top goaltender numbers in the AHL with a sparkling 1.57 GAA and .944 save percentage along with seven wins in nine appearances ... The B-Sens power play inched its way out of the bottom of the AHL and is now 28th among 30 teams with a conversion rate of 11.5 per cent. The HARTFORD WOLF PACK are No. 1 at 25.8 per cent ... Just days after being named AHL Player of the Week, forward MASON MARCHMENT of the Marlies has been slapped with a two-game suspension for a cross-checking infraction last Friday at Binghamton. Marchment is the son of ex-Belleville Bulls defenceman and former longtime NHL defenceman, BRYAN MARCHMENT.